As an accomplished filmmaker,Quentin Tarantinofrequently returns to what he finds most comfortable. Whether through style, story, or creative partnership, thePulp Fictiondirector rarely steps outside of his wheelhouse, nearly guaranteeing consistency in his filmography. And, while audiences can feel reassured knowing what to expect from the eclectic writer/director, Hollywood colleagues can rely on a fruitful creative relationship. Tarantino’s loyalty to fellow collaborators can be felt throughout his entire end credits, repeatedly working with producers, editors, cinematographers, and production designers across multiple films.
Like many directors before him, Tarantino’s most generous collaboration is with the actors. High-profile actors such as Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt have worked with the film director twice each. At the same time, Oscar-winning Christoph Waltz received golden statuettes as a result of his two collaborations. Working with the same actors makes sense for a director like Tarantino, since his hyperspecific dialogue requires specialty performers to deliver on point. Examining the list of Tarantino’s most frequent collaboratorsopens a conversation about the progression of the director’s career.
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15 Best Quentin Tarantino Movie Characters, Ranked
Quentin Tarantino has created many memorable characters in his movies, but some were better and more iconic than others, and only 15 can be the best.
10Harvey Keitel
Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Inglourious Basterds
Infamously responsible for helping jump-start the young director’s career, Harvey Keitel was instrumental in bringing Quentin Tarantino’sReservoir Dogsto life. Without the veteran actor’s participation in Tarantino’s celebrated directorial debut, this list might not even exist in the first place.Keitel helped set the tone for many recognizable Tarantino-isms, like the gangster patriarch, the earnest antihero, and terse scenes drawn out with dialogue. He forms a direct connection between the traditional gangster movies of Martin Scorsese and the postmodern renditions of the genre in the 1990s.
9Tim Roth
Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, The Hateful Eight
Another actor present at the beginning of Tarantino’s career is the transformational Tim Roth, who shines alongside Keitel inReservoir Dogsand steals the show as the unpredictable Ringo in the smash hitPulp Fiction. The English actor’s amped performances and distinct character mannerisms are perfectly formulated for the high-energy dialogue Tarantino likes to employ. In each of his collaborations with the esteemed writer/director, Roth delivers a heightened theatricality that ultimately helps bring the written page to life. The Tarantino-Roth collab highlights the specific type of performer that the director necessitates, one who can embody the full extent of a complex human being.
8Uma Thurman
Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill: Volume 1, Kill Bill: Volume 2
Despite a tumultuous working relationship with Quentin Tarantino, Uma Thurman’s characters are arguably some of the most iconic in cinema history. From Mia Wallace’s short bob to the Bride’s eye-popping yellow jumpsuit, Thurman has placed her mark on Tarantino’s body of work. WhileReservoir DogsandPulp Fictionintroduced the director as a brilliant screenwriter,Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2solidified his status as a bona fide Hollywood star. None of this would be achievable without Thurman’s grit and determination in her trio of films produced with Tarantino.
7Kurt Russell
Death Proof, The Hateful Eight, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
Undeniably influenced by John Carpenter’sThe Thing, casting Kurt Russell in 2007’sDeath Proofappeared to be more like a wish fulfillment for Tarantino. The womanizer Stuntman Mike appeals to Russell’s penchant for playing goofy macho men, like inBig Trouble in Little China. This would bode well for the duo, as the actor would reprise his typical character archetype inThe Hateful Eightand Randy Miller inOnce Upon a Time… in Hollywood.Tarantino made a habit of casting older movie stars, offering similar services to John Travolta and Pam Grier inPulp FictionandJackie Brown,respectively.
6Bruce Dern
Django Unchained, The Hateful Eight, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
Towards the back half of his career, Tarantino settled into the Western genre as his primary mode of creation. Starting with 2012’sDjango Unchained, the Spaghetti Western, the American Western, and television-syndicated Westerns became a focal point in each of Tarantino’s subsequent releases. Though often relegated to tertiary supporting roles, actor Bruce Dern establishes himself as a consistent performer in each of these Western environments. His rugged, deep voice and wily grey hair offer a handful of memorable characteristics which apply well to the genre and Tarantino is clever about where to sprinkle this in.
5James Parks
Kill Bill: Volume 1, Kill Bill: Volume 2, Death Proof, Django Unchained, The Hateful Eight
Comparatively more unknown than his counterparts, actor James Parks holds his own with five acting credits in Quentin Tarantino movies. Together with real-life father Michael Parks (who appeared in four movies), James would reprise roles as father-son Texas Ranger duo Earl (Michael) and Edgar (James) McGraw inKill Bill: Vol. 1 & 2.These characters are evidence of the screenwriter’s expansive world-building, with Texas Ranger Earl McGraw originating from the Tarantino-pennedFrom Dusk till Dawn. Although Ranger McGraw is left behind inDeath Proof, Parks remains a valuable asset to the definable Tarantino Western.
4Michael Madsen
Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill: Volume 1, Kill Bill: Volume 2, The Hateful Eight, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
Perhaps nobody on this list encapsulates the exaggerated violence that permeates throughout Tarantino’s filmography more than Michael Madsen. The scene where Mr. Blonde cuts off the police officer’s ear to the tune of “Stuck in the Middle with You” has come to define the director’s bombastic treatment of violence. And Madsen captures the evolution of the director’s violence asThe Hateful Eight’s Joe Gage. Though pointedly divisive among critics, the blood splatter and B-movie effects are trademark aspects of any QT movie, andMadsen’s snarling grin and strangling grip are equally as essential.
3Samuel L. Jackson
Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, Kill Bill: Volume 2, Inglourious Basterds, Django Unchained, The Hateful Eight
Samuel L. Jackson is assuredly the first actor that comes to mind when discussing Quentin Tarantino’s directing legacy. The crass humor and quick-firing dialogue align nicely with Jackson’s brand of character acting, and theJackie Brownactor’s smooth-talking delivery pairs well with the writer/director’s blunt-knife butchery of reality. The creative partners help realize a range of characters, from the venerable Jules Winnfield fromPulp Fictionto the equally despicable Stephen Warren fromDjango Unchained. With six collaborations under their belt, it would be surprising if Jackson didn’t appear in Tarantino’s final film.
2Zoë Bell
Kill Bill: Volume 1, Kill Bill: Volume 2, Death Proof, Inglourious Basterds, Django Unchained, The Hateful Eight, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
To Tarantino, every actor on set deserves the same amount of attention. It doesn’t matter if he’s working with the biggest star or some random extra. Tarantino champions every performer as a harbinger of the story, and nobody triumphs in this narrative more than stunt double-turned-actress Zoë Bell. After performing stunts inKill Bill: Vol. 1 & 2andInglourious Basterds, Bell eventually made her way into acting roles, capitalizing on her role inDeath Proofto catapult into the auteur’s later films. Easily the director’s most prolific acting partnership,Bell represents the ways Tarantino elevates his actors.
1Quentin Tarantino
Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, Kill Bill: Volume 1, Death Proof, Inglourious Basterds, Django Unchained, The Hateful Eight, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
It might be a cop-out to claim Quentin Tarantino as Quentin Tarantino’s most frequent collaborator, but QT’s self-involvement in the casting process feels like the most Tarantino-esque approach to working with actors. Nobody touts their cinephilia more than Quentin. From his childlike obsession with Hollywood history to his firm respect for the traditions of the art form,Tarantino’s passion for cinema bleeds through to his public persona. By acting or voicing in nearly every single one of his movies, the award-winning director embellishes all of his films with his own fingerprint.
